Transparent sign.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. RATHSAM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TRANSPARENT SIGN.

No. 812,525. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 13, 1906. Application filed August 16, 1905. Serial No. 274,452.

T all whom it y concern: is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, the Be it known that I, JOHN M. RATHSAM, a species of lens to which the present characcitizen of the United States, residing at St. ters belong being the concavo-convex. In Louis, State of Missouri, have invented cer the section shown in Fig. 4 the letter E of tain new and useful Improvements in Transthe sign is shown in vertical section. The parent Signs, of which the following is a full, characterslmay, however, belong to any other clear, and exact description, reference being species of lens formation as, for example, had to the accompanying drawings, forming the lano-convex, as shown in the section of a part hereof. the character 2, representing the letter 0 IO My invention has relation to improvein Fig. 5, and in the corresponding section of ments in illuminated transparent signs; and the character 2", representing the letter I it consists in the novel construction of sign in Fig. 6. Each character thus becomes a more fully set forth in the specification and lens of a species depending on the curvature pointed out in the claims. of its opposite faces, or at least it constitutes In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a character excised from a lens-shaped body one end of a street car, showing my invenbelonging to a-species which the curvatures tion applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevaof its reflecting faces determine for it. Each tion of the sign. Fig. 3 is a horizontal seccharacter, therefore, acting as alens will serve tion on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a to disperse its rays to a great distance, and transverse vertical section on the line 4 4 of being of a color which contrasts with the Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional detail of transparent background {it follows that the the letter 0, showing a modified form of sign may be read at a great distance. lettering; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the While I have shown my improvement as letter I, showing a like modification. applied to street-cars, it is obvious that it The object of my invention is to construct may be used in any connection where illumia sign with glass letters or equivalent characnated signs are employed. ters mounted on a transparent background Having described my invention, what I of glass or equivalent diaphanous, transluclaim is I cent, or transparent material, the color of the 1. A sign comprising a suitable backcharacters not only to contrast with that of ground, and readable lens-shaped characters the background, but having imparted thereto disposed in front of the same, substantially a a lens-shaped formation whereby they may set forth. readily be distinguished and readable at great 2. A sign comprising a suitable diaphanous distances. background, and readable lens-shaped diaph- 3 5 In detail the invention may be described as anous characters of a contrasting color disfollows: Referring to the drawings, and parposed in front of the same, substantially as ticularly to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, B represet forth. sents a suitable box, and a a' series of incan- 3. A sign comprising a suitable box, a descent lights to produce the illumination. diaphanous plate formin a wall thereof and 4 The front panel 1 of the box is composed of a constituting a suitable ackground, means transparent, frosted, or equivalent plate of for introducing artificial light behind said glass or equivalent diaphanous material, to plate, and a series of diaphanous readable the outer face of which are welded or otherlens-shaped characters of a contrasting wise secured the glass or equivalent diaphacolor disposed on the outer face of the backnous characters 2, which are of a contrasting ground, substantially as set forth.

color from that of the plate 1. In the pres- In testimony whereof I affix my signature ent instance they are shown red, though of in presence of two witnesses.

course any available or desirable color may JOHN M. RATHSAM. be substituted. The opposite faces of each Witnesses: 5 character or letter are disposed along the EMIL STAREK,

" faces of alens, the complete outline of which MARY D. WHITGOMB. 

